David Bahn – Reflections

My Podcast is on hold this week. You can listen to past podcasts here, including the sermon I preached at Angaza Igoma Lutheran Church in Mwanza, Tanzania

Ephesians 4:10-16

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

True Christian community is a place to love and be loved, serve and be served, know and be known,  challenge and be challenged, pray, and be prayed for. In these communities, and out of the blessings we experience, we are able better to be discipled. We learn by teaching in the large gatherings through sermons, Bible studies, and seminars. That’s important. But if we are to grow as disciples we need people who not only love us, but who are also willing to challenge us, calling us to a higher level of faithfulness, love, and maturity in Christ. That is the gist of today’s teaching.

We are experiencing this in our own lives as part of a Neighborhood Life Group at our church. I know the hope is that there will be many such groups at our local church. St. John has a number of Sunday morning Bible studies (Life Groups) where people deepen their relationship with each other around the study of God’s word. These are robust groups for which we thank God. The idea of the Neighborhood Life Group is an opportunity for even deeper relationships where we can encourage and be encouraged, challenge and be challenged. It is much easier to do this in a smaller group in a home. We can know each other not only neighbor to neighbor, but also face to face and heart to heart.

We are teaching this dynamic this week through this illustration of Invitation/Encouragement – Challenge/Sending. When the invitation/encouragement is high and the challenge/sending is also high we have breakthrough Christian discipleship life. We realize that God’s mission and all people matter. We want to live this out in real and personal ways.

If I believe, “I’m all that matters,” I exhibit the height of hubris and pride. This is the essence of original sin. If I believe, “I don’t matter,” I deny God’s love for me. If I say, “Nothing matters,” I am a spokesman for atheistic nihilism. But people matter. God’s mission matters. God has invited me into a relationship of grace and faith, truth and love. I am his beloved child. As his beloved child he sends me to help others realize his love and purpose for them, and encourage them to follow Jesus, inviting others to join them in that journey of faith. A small group of dedicated followers of Jesus will help and support us in this calling.

This is not only a thumbnail of what we are teaching, but a lifestyle we are seeking to develop.

NOTE: Diane and I are in Tanzania, teaching pastors and their spouses about discipleship (following Jesus). If you want to track our experiences in Tanzania, you can check my Smugmug photo website. I’ll include photos there throughout the week.